The transition from .Mac to the new MobileMe service was initially set to take place on Wednesday, July 9 between 6 p.m. and Midnight, then it got pushed back a little further. Apple stated that the move would be complete by 2 a.m. Thursday morning. But many subscribers still could not access either .Mac or me.com all day Thursday. Frustrated is a mild term that can be used to describe denied .Mac users.

After a full day of being re-directed to the Apple.com/MobileMe page, members can now log-in to MobileMe to check email, iCal, and such. The site is slow and some features remain elusive. Apple has posted a statement on its support page addressing this: Some MobileMe members may be unable to access groups.mac.com. Service will be restored ASAP. We apologize for any inconvenience.

MobileMe members cannot access the HomePage application. Service will be restored ASAP. We apologize for any inconvenience.

After a long night on the streets of San Francisco, those waiting in line for their iPhone 3G’s at the San Francisco Apple Store on Stockton Street had to wait just a little bit longer than expected.

The first activation didn’t take place until 8:32 a.m. causing some anxiety among the excited iPhone aficionados in the queue. Apple Store staff took the opportunity to remind those in line of the plethora of accessories they could consider for their new device while they wait. (As if the long night on the sidewalk wasn’t enough time for that already.)

According to an AP report, a spokesman for AT&T Inc. admitted that the 30 minute delay in iPhone activations in New York was caused by “a global problem with Apple Inc.’s iTunes software that prevented the phones from being fully activated in-store as had been planned.” New Yorkers were being sent home with their new iPhone and told to make the last step in the activation process from home.

The three-hour time zone difference doesn’t seem to have helped those waiting in line in San Francisco. In-line reports have told of customers walking out with iPhones that have not been activated. Apple Store employees are still trying to work on the issues with AT&T and despite the initial delay, the line is now moving.

Because so many people are installing iPhone 2.0 software, patience is the order of the day. If you happen to unplug your phone after the installation, but before it can talk to the iTunes store, you may find the phone is in an emergency calls only mode, where none of its software (including the Address Book) is available. A thread at Apple Support Discussions has a number of comments posted by users in a panic over their phones. Some of them report that they have waited hours for their phone to be usable again; others report that they are still waiting. Patience is a virtue.

The first people to wait for an iPhone 3G at Apple’s Fifth Avenue store came as a group—which may have staved off loneliness. Twenty-four hours before the first unboxing, fewer than ten people were lined up. Compared to the queue in 2007, where almost forty people were waiting, the 2008 line was sparse.

But those numbers quickly swelled around midnight. By 7 am, over two hundred people appeared. By 7:30, the queue stretched across Fifth Avenue, down 58th St., across Madison Avenue, and partway up 59th St. Eyeball estimation: 400 people.

Even though they were stuck on a snaking line, hundreds of people deep, every one of them looked happy to be there.

The wait is "officially" over. Apple released the iPhone/iPod touch Software 2.0 update. For iPhone users, go ahead, plug your device into iTunes and hit "Check for Update." The update is free. iPod touch users can get the update here, unfortunately it's going to set you back $9.95.

Don't be surprised if it takes a while for the download. Apple's servers are getting hammered.

Well, almost released. Not everyone has had success signing on to the system. But like the rest of today's releases, all you need is just a little patience.

The new $99 a year service, replaces the aging .Mac service that many considered overpriced and underpowered. The new service adds push email, contacts, calendars and web galleries. The service will sync Macs, iPhones and Wi-Fi connected iPod touches using the "Cloud."

Apple also introduced a new email domain with MobileMe. Users can finally embrace their inner narcissist with an @me.com email address.

Current .Mac users are automatically upgraded and will keep their @mac.com email adresses until they decide to change it out with an @me.com account.